Refermentation down sides ?

[lgagnon]

I recently used my yeast twice, here is what I did. I brewed and fermented a batch of beer in a plastic bucket for 14 days, everything went well. I monitored the process with my iSpindel and all was good. I kegged the 1st batch and I rebrewed the exact same recipe at the same time. I didn't clean the fermenter, I simply tranfer the wort in the fermenter with the yeast from the previous batch. The fermentation went well, I used the iSpindel to monitor it. I tasted the final beer and it tastes good. The beer I brewed is a belgian wit. Finally, my question is, what are thé possible down sides of doing this ?

 

[IslandLizard]

As long as you kept everything touching your beer sanitary, there should be no higher risk of infection as usual.

You pitched onto an entire yeast cake, which would/could be considered a gross overpitch, as yeast typically growths 4-5 times during a typical fermentation. Many breweries do something similar, as it guarantees speedy lift-off and fast and predictable fermentation, while it suppresses yeast character.*

* Suppressing yeast character can be a desired effect, or not, depending on the beer and the brewer's intention. Suppression of yeast character may have something to do by putting far less "stress" on the yeast by overpitching, which brings along those and other advantages.

Do you find something is missing in the flavor/aroma profile in the 2nd batch? Maybe a bit less clovey?

 

[Jag75]

Your doing what is called cone to cone. Some Breweries do this . Unless your doing a cell count you don't know as @IslandLizard said. Most brewers will eyeball the amount of yeast slurry in their transfer hose and sight glass .

With good planning it's an easy and money saving idea .

 

[lgagnon]

Should I remove some of the yeast cake before adding fresh wort ?

 

[Dland]

If you can get some of the dead yeast solids and trub from bottom of fermentor, it is a good thing. Probably not necessary if only going planning one round before cleaning fermentor, but I always do.

Your really only need some of the liquid, yeasty beer from bottom of fermentor. I usually have about a quart in bottom of my conical when I add new wort, ten gallon batches.

Should I remove some of the yeast cake before adding fresh wort ?